Rotary internal-combustion engine.



' 1. w. TO-LLIVER. ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ Z, IEHB.

Patented Mar. 11,1919.

L E E H 4 s T E E H S 2 J. W. TOLLWER.

ROTARY INTERNAL CDMBUSHON ENGINE.

APPLICATION HuED' AUG. I2. ms.

Patented Mar. 11,1919.

2.SHEETSSHEET 2.

JOHN W. TOLLIVER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ROTARY I NT ERNALrCOMBUSTION ENGINE.

1 ,eoosao.

Specification oi Letters Patent,

Patented Mar, 11, 1919,.

Application filed August 12,1918. Serial No. 249,529.

To (11/ ll'lzo/n it only (on 1'11:

lie it known that l, Jonx \V. 'lomlvnu, a citizen of the l nited States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State 01 New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Inter-nah Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to rotary cngins of the internal combustion variety and more particularly to engines of the two-cycle type, and has for its object to develop a maximum amount of power from a given quantity of fuel, and also to reduce vibration to the smallest amount possible, and to have the impulses in rapid succession.

The main object of the invention is to utilize a cylinder, and a cooperating piston as means for drawing a charge of fuel from a source of supply and compressin such charge preliminary to ignition, the expand ine" gases resulting from combustion being utilized to impart movement to a rotor from which the developing power is taken for operating the part to be driven.

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of an engine of the' character aforesaid, embodying a plurality of cylinders and pistons, which are grouped about a central point and forming parts of the retor, the cylinders being provided in number eorrespolnling with the size and eapacity'of the engine, so as to obtain the required number of impulses during each complete revolution of the rotor.

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of an engine of the character hereinbefore specified, which involves a simple construction and relation of parts so that replacements and adjustments may be easily, quickly, and economically made without necessitating throwing the engine rt of commission for any great period dining which it is required to utilize the engine.

The drawin illustrates a preferred embodiment. of the invention; however, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet ditl'crent conditions, various changes in the form, propm'tion, and minor details of construction may be resorted'to Without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

In thedrzuvings: I, i 1 Figure 1 is a central radial section'of a rotary internal combustion engine embodying the invention;

Fin". 2 is a centralhorizontal section there of, showing the parts on a larger scale, the rotor-dieing turned to bring opposite horizontal cylinders in the plane of the supporting frame;

F 3 and it; are enlarged sectional details on the lines 5--3 and H of Fig. 1 respectively.

(oi-responding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in both .views of the drawings by like referenee characters. a

The engine comprises astator and a rotor and is adapted to be mounted upon a suitable bed or foundation, not shown, by means of an oblong frame, which is provided at its ends with brackets A shaft is disposed centrally of the stator or casing 1 and comprises the elen'tents 3 and 4t, and intermediate crank portion 5. This shaft is fixed. The portion 8 of the shaft is provided at one end with a flange (5, which is secured to a side of the frame 1. The element 4 receives a hollow shaft 7 which is Secured at its inner end to the rotor and which is journaled in the opposite side of the frame 1. The hollow shaft 7 has a flange 8 at its outer end, and a flange 9 at its inner end. The flange 9 is secured te-the rotor, thereby causing the hollow shaft 7 and rotor to rotate in unison. The outer end of thehollow shaft 7 is made tapering as indicated at 10 to receive a pulley (not shown) and which is adapted to be secured to the fiang 8. The member secured to the projecting; end of the hollow shaft- 7 may be a fly wheel, a propeller, or other part depending upon the specific purpose to which the engine is applied The rotor comprises and liner casing 11, a plurality of cylinders 12 radiating from the outer wall of the casing 1 1, a hollow rim or outer casing'l3 connecting the outer ends of the cylinders 1'52, abutments 14 slidably mounted in openings formed in the inner Wall of the hollow rim 13, pistons 15 disposed within the cylinders 12, and rods 16 connecting; the pistons 15 with the crank portion 5 of the eranlt shaft, the latter com-- prising the elements 3, 4, and 5.

Each of the cylinders 12 is provided near its outer and with a partition 17. The space p 1.8 formed between the partition 17 and-the part of the inner wall of the hollow rim-13 closing the outer end of the cylinder constitutes 1n efi'ect,..'an explosion chamber,- since I the mixture is ignitedthereinat the roper ments 1 1 are'slida'bly mounted in the por-,

tions of the inner wall of the hollow rim 13 closing the. outer ends of the cylinders 12, and each of thea-butments leisnprovided with apassageway 21, whereby communication is lfad between the combustion chamber 118, and the space 22 inclosedby the hollow rim 13. Asindicated most clearly in Fig. 1, the space 22 is uninterrupted for alittle more than one-half ther circumference of the hollow rim. The remaining portion of the space 22 is occupiedby a wall 23 which fits close against the outerface of'the inner 'wall'of the hollow rim 13. The wall23 is spaced. from the adjacent portion of" the outer wall of the hollow rim 13, as indicated at 24k and, if desired, such space may be utilized for circulating a cooling medium therethrough. The wall 23 may be braced atmtervals a clearly indicated in Fig. 1. Afixed abutment 25 is located at one end of the wall23,.and the opposite end of the wall a inclines to form a cam portio '1 260a which the sliding abutments 14 ride and are i pressed/inward into the chamber 18. The casing 11 constitutes a crank case for receiving the cran-kportion 5 of the crank' shaft, as also the inner ends of the rods 16 which are mounted upon the crank portion of the crank shaft. One wall of the crank case 11 is mounted upon an enlargement 27 of the end 3 of the crank shaft. Theopposite .wall of the casing 11 has the flange 9 The shaft 7 formed with-anjenlarged portion 28 and ball. bearings are interposed between the of the shaft 7 secured thereto.

part 28 and the reinforced art of theframe 1 in which the hollow shat 7 is journaled;

The crank portion 5 of'the crank shaft is offset from the center of the rotor and in' consequence of such arrangement the pistons 15 h ave a; reciprocatory movement imparted f thereto during'the rotation of the rotor as will be readily understood. The inner ends of the cylinders 12 open into the crank case- 11, and one end ofthe crank shaft, as 3, likewiseopensintothecrank case 11 and its outer end is in communication with a pipe 29, which is connected in any manner to a side of the frame 1. The pipe 29 is adapted to supply a gaseous mixture to the crank case 1' The stator comprises a ring 30 which is from a suitable source of supply.

ex losion chambers 18.

\ v n the operation oft-he engine, it being' assumed that the rotor is in motion, the pistons reciprocate in the cylinders 12. On the closed and the pistons serve; to draw the gaseous mixture into the crank case 11, andthefinner ends of the cylinders 12. The gas confined between the heads of the pistons and the. partitions 17 is compressed and passes through the valve controlled openings in the partitions 17,.into the chambers 18. As thecylinderssuccessii'ely approach the fi'xed'abutment 25 the gas isignited and the expanding ases pass into the space '22, from the cham 'way 21, in the abutment 14, which moves outwardly into the space 22 the instant such abutment l4 clears the' abutment 25. It will out-stroke of the pistons, the valves 20 are or 18, through the passage be understood that the gases react on the butments 14 and 25 and as the, latter is fixed the abutment 14 is caused to t avel in the space 22 away from the abutment 25, there by imparting an impulse to the rotor. This brings 'the next cylinder into position for the 'firing of the chargecontainedltherein. Each cylinder receives a charge, arid the latter is fired therein at each revolution of the rotor. A portion of the centralring 30 is formed wit'h'a 'pluralit of openings 32 which constitute outlets or the exhaust. kExterior to the part of the ring 30, having the openings 32, is disposed aninclosed conduit or pas sage way 33- which communicates with an ex aust pipe 3,4 by means of which the spent discharge.v The inner'wall of the central ring-30, near the-exhaust. passage 33 is I formed with a channel 35 through Which the spent gases are ermitted to have an initial discharge. When the cylinders reach the inclined portion 26 of the wall 23 the abutments 14 ride on the inclinedor cam portion 26 and aregmoved inward, and during the travel of the cylinders 12, opposite the wall 23, the abutments 14 are held inward by riding upon thewall 23, and during. this time thepistons15 move outward and compress the gas contained in the outer gases areconveyed to a suitable point of,

portion of the cylinders and force such gas into the explosion chambers? 18, preliminary to ignition. As the cylinders reach the point opposite and beyond the fixfed abutment 25,

"toextend into the way in the outer wall of 7 tion-made hollow and adapts the mixture in firing the chambers 18 is ignited The point of e losion may be determined by a suitable 'tirning. mechanism (not shown) and which ,is'common in the operation of internal-combustion engines.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what'may be considered the preferred, or approved, form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may, prove expedient and fall Within the scope of the ap nded claims.

aving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary internal combustion engine, comprising a stator, comprising a casing having a way or space in the inner face of a portion of the encircling wall, and havin a fixed abutment at one end of the way, an a cam at the opposite end of such way, said stator having a plurality of openings in the outer wall'inclosing said way and having a closed passage exterior to the wall having the openings for receiving the exhaust, a rotor within the stator, acylind'er carried by the rotor, and having a combustion chamber in its outer end, a sliding abutment at the outer end of the cylinder and adapted the stator, inder.

2. A rotary internal combustion engine, comprising a crank shaft having an end porto be connected with a source of. fuel supply, a-crank and a piston mounted in the cy1 1 case inclosing-the crank portion of the crank shaft, and in communication with the end of the crankshaft having connecti n with i .the source of fuel supply, a cylin pr con nected with'the crank case and harving a combustion chamber in its outer end, a piston within the cylinder, a rod connecting the cran shaft, a stator receiving the several lpiston with the crank portion of the parts, and having a way formed in the inner portion of its encircling wall and a sliding abutment mounted in the outer end of the cylinder, and adapted to project into the way of-the stator.

3. A rotary internal combustion engine, comprising a stator, a rotor embodying a hollow rim having a way formed in a portion thereof, a fixed crankshaft, a crank case inclosing a portion of the crank shaft, cylinders radiating from the crank case and opening th'erein,- the crank shaft having an end portion establishing means of communication between the crank case and the source of fuel supply, partitions near the outer ends of the cylinders forming combustion chambers, valves in said partitions, pistons in the ,cylinders, and having outwardly opening valves, rods connecting the piston with the crank portion'of the crank shaft, and sliding abutments, at the outer ends of the cylinders', and adapted to travel in the way' \exhaust at its opposite end, a fixed crank shaft, a crank case inclosing the crank portion of thecrank shaft, and in communication with the source of fuel supply through i an end portion of the crank shaft, cylinders radiating from the crank case, valved purtitions at the outer ends of the cylinders forming combustion chambers, pistons in the cylinders, rods connecting the pistons with the crank portion of the crank shaft, and

a stator. having a sliding abutments in the outer ends of the cylinders. p

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

a JOHN W.'.TOLLIVER. .Witneses: i

1 ToLLIvEn,

'. L. T. Fnom. 

